Post Mortem
by AlanisJunkie
Summary: My version of what happened after Alkali Lake. Introduces a few new characters.
1. Prologue

Summary: My version of what happened after Alkali Lake.

Disclaimer: I only own Jinx "Whiplash" Espinoza and this plot line.

Prologue

Dead. I knew I was dead, or at least as close to it as one could be. My mind and body were twisted and ripped, flesh, bone and sinewy muscle shredded. The warm, soft cotton fabric of my hospital style robe was bloodstained, ripped and waterlogged beyond any hope of recognition.

I was drifting, somewhere in the middle of Alkali Lake. My home, if one could call their prison home. It felt like I had been drifting for all eternity. There was a sharp shooting throb in my mind, both physical pain from whatever blow my head had received and the residual psychic pain from hearing the final desperate thoughts of everyone in the base. And the other; the unknown mind that connected with mine for one brief second, before being silenced. This pain kept my eyes firmly shut, but I could tell, on some primal level, that it had been three days. Three days adrift in the middle of this icy lake. Three days without food, and more water than one person could ever need.

The icy grip of death began to clutch tighter at my blood-soaked throat, when there was a rough scratching against the splintered desktop I was floating on. I ignored the throbbing pain in my head and forced my eyes open. I was five, maybe six, feet from dry, or relatively dry, land.

I sacrificed myself to the pain that was coursing through my entire body and raised my right hand. I quickly flicked my right wrist, and a faint golden light emerged and formed into a rope. I flicked my wrist once more and wrapped the golden rope around a tree trunk. With a tremendous amount of effort, I pulled myself to land.

The side of the desktop hit a rock and I was flipped off it and onto the snow covered ground. I lay there, facedown, drained of life and power. I breathed in, trying to recollect myself. Off in the distance, I heard the whine of a jet engine, and I drew a deep, ragged breath, knowing it would be my last. But I did not know that, soon, I would draw another breath as something more than Jinx "Whiplash" Espinoza.


	2. Reconnaissance

Summary: My version of what happened after Alkali Lake.

Disclaimer: I only own Jinx "Whiplash" Espinoza and this plot line.

Reconnaissance

With a droning, disengaging whine, the Blackbird jet landed on the newly made bank of Alkali Lake. Inside, the seven passengers mentally and physically prepared themselves for whatever gruesome sights they could encounter during this reconnaissance mission of the old base.

Jean Grey sat in the co-pilot seat, quietly meditating on her return to this place. She had died here and then been reborn as Phoenix. She had emerged from the depths of the lake two hours after being overtaken by both the water and these mysterious new powers. Coughing up water, she had crawled, barely conscious, for twelve hours to the nearest home: a tiny cabin roughly five miles from the lake. From here she had called the mansion, and been picked up by a teary-eyed Storm. Upon her return she had temporarily ended things with Scott, just to give herself time to sort out all the confusing thoughts circling her brain. The depths of Alkali Lake held so many secrets; Secrets that terrified her and she was uncertain about how returning here would affect her mind.

Sitting beside the pensive Dr. Grey was Ororo Munroe, otherwise known as Storm. The other passengers sat behind them: Scott Summers, Logan, Professor Charles Xavier, Kurt Wagner, and Marie D'Ancanto.

They all stood and walked off the jet. With each step she took, Jean felt an increasing telepathic throb in the front of her brain. When she stepped the whole way out of the jet, she felt a pain through her mind and heart, like a hot, searing dagger. She dropped to her hands and knees and moaned in pain as tears began to stream down her face. She pulled in rasping gulps of air before she turned her tear-streaked face up towards her teammates. She gasped out, "She's gone, she's gone. We have to find her, save her."

After forcing those sentences out, she collapsed on the ground and stayed there for a minute attempting to gather herself. When she felt strong enough, she raised her head and nodded at Storm, who helped her to her feet.

The Professor gave her a quick telepathic check-up. When he was positive that she was physically and mentally all right, or at least as all right as could be expected, he asked, " Jean, who's gone? Who were you talking about?"

She stared at him quietly, before putting her head in her hands. She was silent for another moment before shaking her head and mumbling, "I have no idea, Professor, but we have to find her. I don't know why, but it's important."

She lifted her head and looked at the Professor, who said, "Alright, Jean. Can you sense her anywhere?"

She closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath. Her teammates watched in patient silence as she sent her telepathic self dipping and soaring through every inch of the Lake and base. All of a sudden, her eyes flew open and she gasped, followed by a moan: "Oh, dear God."

Without even bothering to tell her teammates what she had telepathically discovered, she took off running. The X-Men stared after her as she sloshed through knee-deep freezing cold water.

Finally, Rouge called after her, "Jean, where are you going?"

Jean looked over her shoulder and shouted in reply, "I have no idea! But I need to hurry!"

With that, she sped down the other bank of the lake, her fellow X-Men staring incredulously after her. No one was sure whether or not to follow her. They all decided to leave her be and let her return, with or without the mystery person, when she was ready.


	3. Alive

Disclaimer: . . . Haven't we gone through this all before?

Alive

I had no clue what was happening to me. Something or someone was above me. Something touched my face, my lips. A rush of air was forced into my body. I heard a voice from off in the distance, speaking to me, telling me to breathe.

And I tried, when I felt something pressing on my stomach, just below my ribcage. But I couldn't. I couldn't make my lungs work.

Something brushed against my face. It was my rescuer's hair. Then something pressed against my lips again and more air rushed into my body. I felt the pressure on my stomach again and the voice, closer and clearer now, told me to breathe. And I tried again.

The hands didn't move from my stomach. As I pulled in a breath, I felt an intense rush of power enter my body, adding warmth that I welcomed gratefully.

I breathed again, a painful rasping breath and coughed hard for what felt like forever. I felt the hands working over my body, probably checking the extent of my injuries. I was normally terrified of contact with other people, but with this mysterious person I felt only a great connection.

The hands started smoothing over my face and I felt a burst of pain as the fingers grazed a cut. The hand was cold, the fingers felt long and slender. I forced my eyes open.

My vision was blurry, but as it cleared, I found that I was staring into the face of a woman with fiery red hair. She flashed a warm, albeit cautious, smile and said, "Welcome back."

She sat back on her heels and scrutinized me for a moment. Feeling self conscious, I quickly sat up, meeting pain and dizziness. The woman put one hand gently on my stomach and the other behind my head. She slowly pushed me back to the ground.

She smiled again as she said, "You just came back to life; I think sitting up may have been rushing things."

I didn't reply. I couldn't reply. I had spent eleven years in semi-isolation with only my captors and my cellmate. I had been punished for everything, even speaking. I guess she figured out that I wasn't going to say anything, so she continued; "I'm Dr. Jean Grey. I'm glad I found you. Actually, it feels like something drove me to find you."

She stared at me expectantly, like she was waiting for me to tell her why she was so driven to find me. But I didn't reply. I had no fear that she would hurt me, but the instincts instilled in me by my imprisonment kept my mouth shut.

She sighed and extended her arm, picking up the dog tags that were resting on my neck just below my Adam's apple. She read them aloud; " Mutant number C437 . . . Jinx Espinoza . . . Whiplash."

She smiled and said, "Hello, Jinx."

I was slightly taken aback. It had been years since anyone called me by my name. I had grown accustomed to being called 437 or Whiplash.

The woman- Jean- spoke again, this time softly and caringly.

"If it's alright with you, sweetie, I'll take you back to my teammates. We can take you to get medical attention."

I stared at her, overwhelmed by her concern and care. No one had shown me this much compassion since I was a little girl. I started to cry quietly and she took this to be my answer. She stood, and before I could even think to do the same, she took off her long jacket and draped it over me. I was so grateful for it's warmth. She crouched beside me and gently gathered me into her arms and stood, adjusting to my weight. I buried my head against her shoulder and sobbed into it. She began picking her way through the forest. I cried into her shoulder and she kept murmuring to me; "You're safe now."

Soon, I drifted into a deep sleep. But I was alive.


	4. Rapport

Disclaimer: Do you really need to ask?

Rapport

I heard voices, above and around me. But none of them made sense. My ears refused to filter or even focus on the noise. I was in the woman's arms. My brain searched for her name . . . Jean. Her name was Jean.

I was wrapped in her jacket. It smelled like leather and a delicate flowery perfume. The scent suited her, as far as I could tell. I heard her boots pinging against some sort of metal, and I felt the soft bounce of reverb; she was carrying me up a flight of stairs.

She laid me down gently on a soft surface. When my fingers made contact, I could feel a rough sheet and a thin mattress. I was on a cot.

She lifted her jacket off of me and I braced myself for a chill, but none came. Wherever she had taken me was warm. I heard the others enter the room. It sounded like five different footfalls and maybe a wheelchair, like Jason's.

I felt soft cloth straps against my wrists and bare ankles: restraints. I was getting strapped in. I was preparing to fight back when I heard a large engine starting, and I realized that Jean had done this for my own safety.

There were a few minutes when all I could hear was the sound of the engine. By the way we were moving, I'm sure it was a jet, maybe the one I'd heard before. Jean was gone and for some reason I was panicked by her absence.

Then I felt hands on my head and I relaxed. She was back. She lifted my head off the cot and gently removed my dog tags. Her hands began smoothing over my cuts. A deep voice was speaking and I just let myself sleep again.

Quickly, though, I was jerked awake by a throbbing pain in my head. This was different from a headache. It felt like the telepathic cramps I used to get. I felt like everyone was in my brain, but foremost I heard Jean. I could hear everything she was thinking, everything she was feeling. For the first time I realized that my telepathy had not left me.

I forced my eyes open and began telepathically screaming into the void. I was desperate for her to hear me, to prove that I wasn't just insane. There was no response; maybe I was insane.

Then her eyes met mine and she pushed her glasses to the tip of her nose. She looked confused and a strange light was radiating from her body. She said, "I'm hearing a third voice in my head."

She continued staring to my eyes, cementing the strong psychic rapport that had began forming between us. Then she spoke again: "She's telepathic on a level equal to Phoenix. I can feel her in my mind and I'm in hers. It's intense, on a level of connection that I've never felt before."

A bald man in a wheelchair told Jean to ask me questions. She nodded her response to him.

Then he said, "Start with easy questions."

"Jinx, how old are you?" she asked me softly.

I used my telepathy to answer, "I'm not sure, but I think I'm sixteen."

As I channeled those words to her she spoke them aloud.

"We'll look into your exact age later. How long have you been held captive?"

Again I answered telepathically: "Since I was a very little girl. Maybe five or six years old. I can't remember when my birthday is, it's been too long since it was celebrated."

She smiled at me and said, "We'll find that out later, too. I only have one more question: Why don't you talk?"

I started to cry; I didn't mean to, but I couldn't help it. In her mind I told her: "I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"That you'll hurt me when I talk. The soldiers at the base did."

There were tears in her eyes to match my own as she said, "We won't hurt you for that. You can go ahead and talk."

I started crying harder as I telepathically told her that I couldn't. I just wasn't ready.

"Okay, Jinx. You can wait until you're ready. And just so you know, I will never hurt you, and I promise that I'll make sure no one else does."

I blinked and looked away from her. Suddenly, I was very tired, so I let myself drift to sleep and the last thought I had was: I'm home.


	5. Furie

Disclaimer: Don't make me hurt you people!

Furie

Jean sighed deeply and removed her glasses, trying to subtly wipe away the tears that had collected in the corners of her eyes. But she realized her attempt at subtlety had failed when Rogue said, "Jean, are you alright?"

"No, I'm not. I felt every emotion she was feeling. Her fears, her sorrow, her torment, even her pain. I felt like I was her and she was me. I can feel her in every fiber of my body," Jean said. She shook her head and exhaled.

"We'll be landing in a minute, everyone please settle in," said Ororo, shaking Jean from her thoughts.

Everyone, except for Jean, took his or her seats. Jean remained standing, and held onto a support bar. She was afraid of leaving Jinx's side, or maybe she was feeling Jinx's fear of her leaving; Jean couldn't really tell and that bothered her. Whoever's emotion it was, it kept Jean firmly planted next to Jinx.

When the jet landed Jean gathered Jinx into her arms and carried her into the hospital ward. There, she gently peeled the blood stained robe from Jinx's prone body and threw it into the garbage.

She winced as she saw all the injuries on Jinx's body and beneath the newer injuries were hundreds of scars, criss-crossing all over the girl's body. Jean gave Jinx an intravenous sedative to keep her from waking up during the medical procedures. Then she got a damp cloth and began washing the dirt and dried blood off of Jinx's torso, arms and legs.

Then she did an x-ray over Jinx's whole body and discovered a fractured leg and arm and a crack in her cheekbone. Next, Jean examined the lacerations on Jinx's torso and stitched up the large, deep ones. She used a liquid sealant to patch up the smaller injuries.

Then she began surgery on Jinx's cheek to patch the cracked bone.

Four hours later, after three minor surgeries, a blood transfusion, two casts and four hundred stitches, Jinx was resting peacefully with a morphine drip in her arm. Jean was also resting peacefully in a chair beside Jinx's bed.

Around them, the X-Men and Professor Xavier were gathering. Charles shook Jean from her slumber.

"I'm sorry everybody, I must have just dozed off," she yawned.

"No need to apologize. How is Miss Espinoza?" asked the Professor.

"Good, she's doing very well. I had to do surgery on her face, her appendix had to come out, as well as her tonsils. Fractured leg, fractured arm. She needed a blood transfusion and roughly four hundred stitches," answered Jean.

"But she's going to be fine, right?" asked Ororo.

"Yes, she's going to be fine," replied Jean.

"Then I'll tell you all what I've learned about her. She is a telepath and a telekene, but her 'signature' power is the ability to create ropes from her wrists and she can wield them with deadly control," said the Professor.

"Is that all you learned?" questioned Jean.

"With the exception of the fact that her parents are dead, yes. If there is more to her, it is up to her to tell us," said Charles.

Suddenly, a low, guttural sound ripped from Jean's stomach and her eyes closed. When they opened they were alight with the Phoenix fire. In a low, husky voice she said, " The gods of old that created me have chosen another to serve by my side. A sister mutant was chosen to live as my mortal host does. A human body as the host of a god. It was not only Jean Grey that saved this girl's life, it was also the Phoenix. Her powers will grow to be as Jean's are. Mortally we are Jean and Jinx. But as gods we are Phoenix and Furie, two kindred spirits united as one."

Jean slumped back in her chair as her body was released from Phoenix's control.

"I suppose there is more to her," said Charles.

The rest were too stunned to say anything so they began to shuffle out. As Ororo was about to leave she heard Jean begin to cry, so she went to her friend's side.

"What is it, Jean?" she asked as Jean stood up.

Jean placed her hand over Jinx's and said, "She's just a kid, how is she supposed to cope with theses powers on her own?"

"Why would she be alone? She'll have you, won't she? And she'll have friends in the Mansion," said Ororo.

"You think she should stay? I thought I would be the only one," said Jean.

"It's already obvious that she needs you and trusts you, besides you two are supposed to work together," replied Ororo, smiling.

Jean smiled, too and said, "Maybe I am what she needs. And this may sound odd, but maybe she's what I need, too."


	6. Reservations

Reservations

It was early in the morning at Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, when Jean Grey heard a knock on her door. A knock that had the faintest hint of a metallic thud to it. She quickly buttoned up her shirt and said, "Come in, Logan."

He entered the room and nodded his head in greeting. Jean smiled and asked, "What do you need?"

"It's a quarter after seven. We're leaving at eight. Storm asked me to come and get you for breakfast."

Jean quickly gathered the things she would need on today's field trip and then walked through the door that Logan was holding open for her. They walked about six feet down the hall and then Jean stopped and knocked on the door next to hers.

"Oh yeah, how could I have forgotten about your shadow? How's Jinx doing anyway?" asked Logan.

"She's doing very well. She's made a lot of progress in the last month."

"Still doesn't talk to anyone, not even you," stated Logan.

Jean was about to reply when the door was flung open. Jinx stood framed by the jamb, her shoulder length hair was hanging in front of her eyes. She had a black cast on her right arm as well as many scars on any part of flesh that was showing. They would have been easy to conceal, but she didn't want to hide them. The scars reminded her of how far she'd come. They were proof that she was alive.

Logan watched as Jean and Jinx stared at each other. Even after all the things he'd ever seen he was still slightly unnerved when Jean said, "I slept very well, thank you for asking. It's time for breakfast."

There was another brief pause. "Yeah, we're leaving at eight. Put your shoes on."

Jinx walked into her room and sat on her meticulously neat bed to pull on her black combat boots.

Jean turned to Logan and said, "She talks to me all the time. It's just that no one else can hear her."

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The school's bus pulled up in the field where they had decided to have a picnic for some of the older students. Jean and Jinx exited the bus first, Jinx clutching tightly to Jean's right hand.

The other students exited and began milling around the field. Jean and Jinx just walked with each other, communicating telepathically. Neither was aware that Scott and the Professor were watching them.

Scott watched as Jean started laughing joyfully. "I don't like this!"

The Professor knew he didn't have to bother asking what he meant; Scott would just continue.

"Jean is special, but this girl . . . she's dangerous. She's too damaged to handle these powers. Jean is strong. Jinx isn't."

"Do you really believe she's that dangerous?" asked Charles, calmly.

"There isn't a doubt in my mind," Scott replied, matter-of-factly.

"Then, I'm sure you won't like what I'm about to tell you," said Charles. "Jean and I have spoken, and we have decided that Jinx is ready to attend classes, to become a real student."

"Professor, you cannot do that!" exclaimed Scott, sharply.

"Yes, I can. This girl needs our protection, the protection that only the school can offer her."

"Well, I'm not going to take any part in it. I've lost a lot in my life. I've already almost lost Jean once. I refuse to lose her again because of everyone's insistence on taking in this lost cause that will probably snap and destroy us all. This kind of power is never good in the hands of somebody like Jinx," said Scott, getting louder and more passionate with each word.

"Scott, you are my oldest student, and in many aspects, you are my son. I trust you and respect your decisions. But Jinx's future is not yours to decide!" exclaimed the Professor. The first two sentences were soft and gentle, but the third was rather harsh and Scott recoiled.

"I'm glad you have these reservations; that's part of the reason you are such a good leader. But you, and even I, have no say in this. As I'm sure you remember, when we learned that Miss Espinoza's parents are dead, Jean said she'd take care of her. So, this is Jean's decision," said the Professor.

"That doesn't mean I have to be happy about it," Scott muttered.

"At least try. You don't know this girl and neither do I. But Jean does and it's clear that she loves her. She is Jinx's mother now."

"She loves her? Does she love me like my mother loved me when she found out I was a mutant? You're agreeing to this because you're sorry for Jinx. Is that why you took me in, did you feel sorry for me?" asked Scott, angrily.

"No. I took you in because you needed help. That's what I am here for. Jinx is special. Not just because she's Furie, but also because she gives Jean a purpose. I've always known that Jean felt like an outcast to the team. She's always felt unimportant and small. But with Jinx around, Jean feels important to somebody, she feels like she has a purpose. And she's happy, happier than I've ever seen her," answered the Professor calmly.

The sorrow on Scott's face was evident as he said, "Fine. Jinx can stay, but I won't be responsible for my actions if anything happens to Jean. I mean it; the slightest injury and you won't be able to stop me."

With that, he turned and walked away. A few tears trickled down his face as he realized that Jean could never be with anyone who didn't accept Jinx. He would never be able to, so he and Jean would never be together again.


	7. Conflict

Conflict

Jinx began attending classes the next day. It was an interesting set-up. She attended the two classes Jean taught, chemistry and biology, and after those two classes she'd wait until Jean had a free period. Then, the two of them sat next to each other at a table in Ororo's classroom. If Jinx had something to say, she would telepathically tell Jean, and Jean would answer for her. Naturally, all of the students thought Jinx would just be using Jean to cheat. Not surprisingly, a lot of tension built up towards Jinx, unbeknownst to her. This tension came to a head after her first week of lessons.

Jinx was sitting outside Professor Xavier's office, waiting for Jean to finish the meeting she and the Professor were having with a prospective student. Rogue, Jubilee, Kitty, Bobby, and Piotr walked by her chair. Rogue stopped abruptly and turned to face Jinx.

"I'll bet it's real nice having Jean cheat for you in class," she said snottily.

"Rogue, leave her alone. Jean'll be mad," said Bobby, nervously.

Jinx just looked at Rogue; she had no clue what cheating was.

"I certainly don't know why that bitch puts up with your creepy ass. There are other people in the school, you know," Rogue continued. Rogue's feeling towards Jean had been influenced by the love she felt in Wolverine for the older woman; part of Rogue was quite smitten with Logan. She also did not fully understand the situation with Jinx.

Rogue continued hurling a volley of insults at the confused girl. Jinx didn't understand why Rogue was mad at her, but she understood the choice words that Rogue was using.

As the insults flew outside the office, the Professor and Jean were speaking to 16 year-old Anna Marina and her parents. Suddenly, Jean's head jerked up and she sat perfectly still. She heard Phoenix's voice in her head saying, "Pay more attention to your charge!"

Jean stood and moved to the door, ignoring The Professor's surprised look. She flung the door open just in time to see Rogue leaning towards Jinx, peeling her gloves off: "If I had your powers, would I be special, too?"

Rogue reached for Jinx's face. She couldn't see the fiery blue wisps of angry power rising off of the other girl's body, but Jean could. The pure hot energy rose from the girl's body in a pulsating forcefield, this energy was more dangerous than any force field.

Jean pushed Rogue's hand out of the way just in time, ignoring the brief shock as skin met skin. She stared into Jinx's eyes.

Jinx was trembling, her unchecked powers flowing over every inch of her body. Her face, though raging with anger was oddly blank at the same time. Her green eyes were turquoise with the blue Furie flames.

"Jinx, snap out of it!" Jean urged, to no avail.

So, she tried again, making her voice more forceful as she said, "Whiplash! Stop this now!"

Again, there was no reaction, so she let Phoenix try: "Furie, release the girl!"

Jinx blinked, but she was not released. The power continued to seep from her body. In her close proximity, Jean could feel the heat the girl was generating.

It was clear to Jean that the only way to break the trance was physical contact. She hoped that Furie would not be allowed to hurt Phoenix's host or the crowd that had gathered to watch the altercation.

"Sweetie," she said soothingly as she slowly reached for the girl, "I'm going to touch you, okay?"

When she came into contact with the sheets of power pouring from the girl, she felt a searing pain in her fingertips and smelled the acrid stench of burning human flesh. She jerked her hand back quickly.

The crowd around was watching semi-eagerly, but most concerned, as Jean pulled her leather uniform gloves out of her pocket. She slipped them on, wincing slightly.

Once again, she reached forward. This time the heat was dulled slightly and she was able to make contact with Jinx's skin. As she did there was an intense flash of heat, coupled with a bright flash of light and she went flying backwards into Xavier's office. Her shoulders connected sharply with the edge of the desk and she slumped to the floor. The lamp on the desk wobbled dangerously before falling and connecting with her left eyebrow.

She looked out the office door and saw a terrified Jinx standing there with faces poking around the edge of the door. Rogue's was right near the middle. Her voice shook as she said, "Jean, I'm so sorry!"

She let her eyes rest on Jinx. The girl's five foot six inch frame was trembling, and for the first time, Jean saw how thin the girl was. Too thin.

Tears welled dramatically in Jinx's eyes, until they threatened to spill over. She licked her lips and parted them. The sound that then emerged from between her lips could hardly be categorized as a voice. However, the sound landed upon Jean with such a force that she, too, felt moved to tears. The girl rasped, "S . . .sorry."

Then she turned and bolted down the hall. The crowd before her parted out of her way like she was carrying a plague.

Jean felt a stab of pain dash through her mind, leaving a void in its wake. Jinx was gone and Jean was . . .dizzy. She scrambled to her knees and crawled haltingly to the door, she peered around the jamb and could just see Jinx's form rounding the corner.

Did Jean eat that day? She couldn't remember as she emptied the contents of her stomach. She tried to go after Jinx but the damn room would not stop tilting and spinning. She crawled, abashedly to the elevator across the hall, and descended into medical ward.


	8. Loss

Loss

Jean walked briskly down the hall to Jinx's bedroom. She had a light gauze wrapping adorning her right hand. The burns were not as bad as she had initially expected, although she expected there would be some permanent scarring. She had applied liquid stitches to the gash on her forehead, which also was not as bad as was expected. Her back was bruised pretty badly, but there was no permanent damage. Her mind, however, had suffered greatly. She was essentially missing half of herself and was barely able to keep her balance. She wasn't sure if Jinx was fairing the same way because the girl was completely gone from her mind. It didn't help that she had a very pissed off Phoenix screaming at her, either.

She stopped in front of the door and knocked gently.

"Sweetie, I'm alright, everyone is fine! It's okay to come out," she urged softly. Her only answer was a few soft thudding noises, followed by a long squealing noise that definitely wasn't human. Confused, Jean opened her mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

She didn't need to be a telepath to know who was behind her.

"Yes, Scott?" she asked as she turned to face him.

"Is she in there?" Scott asked, the venom lacing his words making Jean recoil.

"Yes, she is. Why?" Jean questioned harshly.

"I'm here to tell her to leave. That little stunt of hers today proved what I knew all along; she's dangerous. And I'm here to get rid of her. It'll be her choice if she leaves peacefully or in a body bag, " Scott answered, menacingly.

A look of horror, disgust and shock crossed Jean's face before she recovered.

"She's not going anywhere!" she exclaimed, forcefully. "Besides, who's idea was this, yours or Charles's?"

"It's not just me or Charles, Jean! It's everyone! Why can't you face the fact that she's dangerous?" shouted Scott.

"She isn't dangerous. Besides, I love her. She's as much a child to me as anyone ever will be, " Jean said, her voice both harsh and pleading at the same time. She turned back to the wooden barrier that stood between her and her child. "Sweetie, please come out, or at least let me in."

"Jean! She's clearly unstable! What if she snaps again, like she did today?" Scott said, loudly and exasperated from behind her. He crossed the hall until he was standing almost next to her. Jean turned towards him and as she did, she heard the door squeak slightly. It seemed that Jinx was leaning against it, listening.

"She was provoked, Scott. Rogue was harassing her," she explained, trying to calm herself down.

"So every time someone says something rude, she'll burn their fingers too?" Scott jeered.

"She was just reacting to the situation!" Jean exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "You know, she's been held captive for eleven years! Might take her awhile to adjust!" she finished sarcastically.

"Her reaction was to possibly kill Rogue!" Scott shouted. His voice softened, "She could've killed you, too."

"If she really wanted to kill someone, no one in the mansion would be alive right now. She pulled her powers! She didn't release everything she had! And that proves that she is aware of her powers and that she is capable of controlling them," Jean explained. She turned back to Jinx's door and tried the knob again. There was no luck. She pressed her ear against the door, hoping to hear something.

Scott grabbed her arm and spun her. He squeezed hard enough that Jean, with her heightened awareness of her body, could feel the blood vessels burst.

She jerked her arm back violently, and hissed at him through clenched teeth.

"She's dangerous. Her mind, her sense of reality, are so screwed up, Jean!" Scott exclaimed.

"God, Scott, she's not psychotic! She's a scared, shy, lonely girl. She needs people to be her friends. She needs a family. She needs us . . . me," she responded.

"Jean! I'm done having this argument! She's going," Scott said, exchanging his glasses for his visor. "Now, step out of my way and let me deal with her."

There was a burst of light and pure energy as Jean rose off the ground, engulfed by the Phoenix form.

"You will not take another step!" she commanded, her voice low and smoky.

Scott instinctively raised his hand to his visor just as a third voice cut into the conversation.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Logan asked, incredulously.

Sheepishly, Scott lowered his hand from his visor as the Phoenix form surrounding Jean flickered out and she returned to the floor.

There was a long pause before Scott said, "Jean, Jinx is unstable. The powers she has are too dangerous."

Jean stared at him, before turning towards Jinx's door. She shook the knob again before jimmying the lock telekinetically.

With her hand on the knob, she said, "I have the same powers. Maybe I'm dangerous, too." 

She pushed the door open and entered. Suddenly a surprised yelp rang from the room and Scott and Logan entered.

The first thing they noticed was Jean standing by the open window with her hand pressed against her mouth. The second thing they noticed was that Jinx was not in the room. The third thing they noticed was that all the drawers were open and emptied of the few articles of clothing Jinx owned. Quickly they both figured out what had happened and even more quickly they were both there to catch Jean as she fainted.

They placed her gently on the bed. They went to tell the Professor and Storm what had happened when Logan noticed a piece of paper under Jean's right shoulder. He pulled it out and unfolded it.

Clumsy, childish handwriting covered the paper and Logan read it aloud.

"I'm sorry for what I did. I was really bad. I didn't mean to hurt anyone, but Scott was right, that's all I'll ever do. I'm sorry everyone hates me, especially Scott. I always liked him. Bye, Jean. I'm leaving so I won't be able to hurt you again. Love always, Jinx."

Scott bowed his head in shame as Logan thrust the note into his chest, disgusted.

"You know, you really are an asshole!" Logan said as he stormed from the room.

Scott was quiet for a second. Then he whispered, "But I was right."

Jean stirred and Scott threw the note at her and hurried from the room, unable to face her.

Jean read the note and softly started to cry.


	9. Ultimatum

Ultimatum

"What were you thinking, Scott? I thought you were more intelligent than that, but perhaps I was wrong," Charles scolded.

"I was only thinking about how Jinx almost killed Jean and Rogue. I don't think I took things too far," answered Scott.

"Well, in case you didn't realize, we now have a very serious problem on our hands."

"What's that?" Scott asked. Although some part of him realized what the problem was, he felt no remorse for Jinx's disappearance.

"We were keeping a potentially dangerous, terrified girl here for her own protection. Now, that same girl is alone in a world that hates and fears people like her. And she only has one reaction to confrontation," Charles explained.

"To kill," Scott finished.

"No. To survive. And she will do what needs to be done."

"So, with Jinx out in the world, everyone is in great danger," Scott replied, nodding to himself to confirm that he had been right all along.

"Oh, yes," Charles confirmed, nodding. "But, I'd say that everyone here is in greater danger if she isn't retrieved."

"From Phoenix?" Scott asked.

"Well, yes. But I was thinking more about Jean. She's not very happy right now. I can feel her throwing a fit in my head; it's giving me a headache," Charles said, wryly.

"So, we'd better find her," Scott resigned.

"We?" asked the Professor incredulously. "I should think not. _You_ will find her. Jean will accompany you, seeing as she is the only one Jinx will communicate with, even if she is vocal now."

"Why can't you just use Cerebro?" Scott asked.

"I've tried. And that could mean one of two things: She's somehow blocking it, or she's dead. I seriously hope it's the former," Charles responded, grimly.

"You should get Jean, and then head out," Charles said.

Scott turned to walk out the door when Charles called after him: "I strongly recommend that you don't return without the girl."

Scott stopped at the door and turned as if he was going to respond, but he just shook his head and left.

Upstairs, Jean was pacing the floor in Jinx's room. She was unaware of Logan, who was watching her from across the hallway, as she muttered to herself, occasionally bursting into brilliant orangey-red flames.

She really was not conscious of her actions because she was concentrating all her mental capacity on her astral form. The words she muttered were nonsensical and broken.

She began to flicker into flames with increasing intensity until finally she let out a strangled cry and dropped to the floor.

Logan, thinking she had passed out, walked towards her. He stopped when he heard her sobbing.

She sat up and leaned against the bed, clutching her head and moaning in pain. She continued cradling her head in her hands as she wept openly, sobs wracking her body.

Logan continued watching her, but left her alone with her tears. After several long minutes, she lifted her head to wipe her face and spotted him out of the corner of her eye. She twitched in embarrassment and offered him a weak and watery smile.

"Hi," he said, approaching her. He picked a box of tissues up off of the dresser and handed them down to her. He sat on the bed and moved to pace his hand on her head to comfort her, but he stopped.

Jean pulled a tissue from the box and blew her nose. She tossed the tissue into the trashcan in the corner. She sat silently for several minutes, before standing and pacing again, this time at the foot of the bed. She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it. Logan recognized it as Jinx's farewell note. Jean read it several times before letting out an infuriated scream and kicked the footlocker at the end of the bed.

"Are you okay," Logan asked, not sure of what else he could say.

"Do I look like I'm okay?" Jean snapped. Almost instantly, she brought her right hand up to cover her face. "Logan, I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."

"No. It's okay. You have every right to be pissed off."

Jean stared at him as she started crying again.

"I . . . I'm scared. She's not in my head anymore and I can't feel her, anywhere," she said, her voice breaking. In that moment she sounded so weak, so helpless that Logan couldn't stop himself from standing and engulfing her in a warm hug.

"She's gotta be somewhere, Jeanie," he offered, comfortingly.

"She's gone and I miss her so much. I love her, she's the child I'll never have," Jean sobbed into his shoulder.

"Wherever she is, I bet she's missing you, too," Logan said. "She was just scared and . . ." his voice trailed off as he sniffed the air, for the distinctive smell that human emotions gave off, " . . . she felt guilty."

Jean and Logan remained in how they were for several long minutes. Jean sobbed into his shoulder the entire time. Finally, she pulled away.

She brushed her hand over her eyes and said, "I'm going to find her, you know. I'm going to bring her back."

"I'm sure you will, Jeanie, "Logan said, smiling somberly.

There was a knock on the door and Scott walked in. "I'm going with you to find Jinx. We should leave now."

"Yes. Thank you," Jean answered.

Jean squeezed Logan's upper arm lightly and said "Thank you, for trying to comfort me."

She turned and left the room, with Scott following behind her.

Logan sighed, "Anytime, Jeanie. Anytime."


	10. Mother

Mother

"So, we've checked everywhere she could possibly be in the city; there's no sign of her anywhere. Where else could she be?" Scott asked Jean. It had been five days since Jinx ran away.

They were sitting in Jean's car, a blood red Audi roadster convertible. Jean shifted her gaze from the stoplight to Scott and then quickly back to the stoplight.

"She lived in New York City until she was five. She's only been with us at the mansion for a little over a month. So, that leaves one place," she responded as she pulled into the lane of traffic.

"Alkali Lake," Scott said.

"Alkali Lake," Jean confirmed.

Almost eighteen hours later, they pulled up on the bank of Alkali Lake. They had elected to take a car instead of the Blackbird on the chance that they found Jinx hitchhiking.

Jean instantly sprang from the car and rushed to the passenger side. She flung the door open and dragged Scott out of the car.

She pulled him with her down to the waterline. She quickly scanned the shore of the lake. Immediately off the western bank, there was a sheet of aluminum wedged between two large pine trees. As she gazed at it, there was the tiniest flutter of movement, and she recognized it as a booted foot being pulled out of view.

"Jinx!" she exclaimed ecstatically. She took off running. As she rounded the edge she found herself having to force her way through a dense forest. She emerged into a small clearing. On one edge was the back side of the aluminum sheet, and curled feebly in a ball beneath the sheet was Jinx.

She was asleep with her duffel bag tucked under her head and her jacket draped over her torso. The jacket did nothing to shield her from the cold and she was shivering.

Jean dropped to her knees beside Jinx and began stroking her hair. As the girl stirred, Jean murmured, "Oh, sweetie."

Suddenly, Jinx jerked awake and pulled herself back from Jean quick enough to force the aluminum out of its position. Jean reached to pull the girl into her arms and was shocked and confused when Jinx scrambled out of her reach, pressing her back against a tree.

Jean moved quickly, before Jinx could react, and sat next to Jinx, pulling her onto her lap.

"No!" Jinx shouted, "Let go of me!"

When Jean tightened her grasp on the girl, Jinx began to struggle against her.

"Stop it! I'm not going to let go of you, so stop struggling," Jean said softly.

Jinx continued twisting for several minutes, until tears started trickling down her face.

"No, just let me go!" she sobbed, her struggles weakening. Finally, she gave up and resigned herself to be held and rocked by Jean.

Several minutes passed. Scott emerged from the forest into the clearing and sat down on a log, waiting.

"Jinxy, are you afraid you'll hurt me?" Jean asked.

"Yes," Jinx mumbled into Jean's shoulder.

"Do you want to hurt me?" Jean asked, smiling into Jinx's hair.

"Never."

There was a long but comfortable silence until Scott walked over to the pair.

"Come on Jinx. Why don't you come back with us?"

His tone was condescending, the kind of tone used to address small children or animals. Jean picked up on it and was quick to lash out."

"For heaven's sake Scott, she's a young woman, not an infant!"

Scott looked at Jinx, and for the first time he really saw her. She wasn't dangerous. She was lost and terrified, as she tried to outrun the pain and horror of her past. If that wasn't enough, she had suddenly found herself hosting powers that were stronger than anything she'd ever experienced or controlled. And suddenly, Scott found her could relate to her and he changed his whole attitude.

"Jinx. I'm so sorry. I just. . ." his voice cracked and he trailed off. He inhaled deeply, regaining his composure. "I don't hate you."

He turned and walked away, blinking tears from his eyes.

"Nobody hates you," Jean said. "Please just come back with us."

"No!" Jinx shouted, leaping up out of Jean's embrace.

"Why not?"

Jinx lifted Jean's hand and looked at the scars on her fingertips.

She looked Jean in the eyes and said, "I hurt you without meaning too. Who's to say it won't happen again?"

"I say it won't happen again. Do you know why?"

Jinx shook her head.

"Because I trust you."

"Why?" Jinx asked. To someone like her, love was a foreign emotion.

"You're my daughter, in every sense of that word. I know I've never told you this before, but I love you," Jean said tears running down her face.

Jinx stared down at the woman sitting before her. Jean was her best friend and her companion and her savior. And she realized . . .

"I love you, too. Mom."


	11. Home

A/N: This is the last truly fluffy chapter. So, if you're looking for more action or drama, it's coming up.

Home

Professor Xavier entered the crowded dining hall, an unreadable expression on his face. Every student silenced when they saw him; when the professor called a meeting like this, it was clearly something important. The students exchanged anxious glances, as did the adults.

"I'm sure you are all wondering why I called this meeting. I assure you there is no need for concern," he said. Waiting for the audible sighs of relief to end he continued, "Scott and Jean will be returning in just a few minutes. They have retrieved Jinx."

This time the sounds that rang through the dining hall were exclamations of fear and rage. The Professor raised his hands for silence.

"I know that many of you are scared or angered by what happened, but I'll expect you not to hold it against Jinx. That's all I have to say."

He turned and left the room. Immediately a cacophony of voices rang out, as student began verbalizing their feelings about Jinx. Death threats were becoming prominent when Storm took it upon herself to reprimand and dismiss the students.

After the students and other adults left, Storm, Kurt and Logan all sat at a table. There was a long, but amicable, silence before Logan spoke up.

"I'm glad they found her. I was starting to miss her," he said.

"I know what you mean. I missed her, too. It's strange, I never got to know her but I feel very attached to her," said Ororo.

"She is a good soul," said Kurt.

Ororo opened her mouth to answer, but stopped when the door opened suddenly. Scott entered, closely followed by Jean.

"Where's Jinx?" Ororo asked, confused.

A wisp of auburn hair and one piercing hazel eye appeared from behind Jean's left arm. Although Jean was really slender, Jinx had managed to hide herself behind the older woman.

Storm recovered and gave Jinx a warm smile: "I'm glad you're back."

Jinx stared at her for a minute before ducking out from behind Jean. She charged forward and engulfed Ororo in a strong hug. After they both let go, Logan said, "Ya know, kid, we missed you, too."

Jinx grinned at him and then extended her arm to shake both of their hands. Then Jean pulled the girl back towards her and hugged her tightly.

"Time for bed, Jinxy," she said.

Jean and Jinx exited the dining hall. They quickly ascended the stairs and walked down the hall to Jinx's bedroom.

It was a medium-sized room, containing all the essential furniture. No one, including Jean, had paid much attention to Jinx's room, feeling the need to give the girl some amount of privacy. She had spent her whole life under scrutiny and everyone had decided to give her the chance to figure out who she was, without any outside help.

Now that Jean was in Jinx's room and wasn't completely grief stricken, she took the time to look around as Jinx changed into her pajamas. The room had no personal effects in it. The only way someone would know that this room was inhabited would be to open the drawers and closet. There was, however, one unique piece of furniture; unique meaning that it had not been included with the furniture that was already in the room when Jinx arrived.

This piece of furniture was a metal footlocker. It was situated at the end of the bed. Jinx had insisted that one be bought for her and Jean knew that it contained the few things the girl had that meant something to her. Jean had no clue what items were in there.

"Jinx, may I look in your trunk?" she asked politely when curiosity got the better of her.

Jinx stared at the woman she had come to view as her mother. After a few moments of contemplation, she nodded. Jean reached forward and unlatched the lock. She took a deep breath before lifting the lid.

There was very little in the trunk. Some clothes, a pair of boots, and Jinx's dog tags. Folded in the corner was an item that made Jean's heart ache. It was the remnants of the hospital gown Jinx had been wearing when they found her. She ghosted her fingers across the material. Closing her eyes against the tears threatening to spill over, she pulled her hand back. She tilted her head up and opened her eyes.

Now, her gaze was directed towards the lid of the trunk. She was surprised by what she saw there. The lid covered in pictures of the mansion, the X-Men, the students. There was only one blank spot.

Jinx tapped her on the shoulder and grabbed her hand when she was sure she had the older woman's attention. She pressed a crinkled and folded photograph into her hand. Jean unfolded the photo and smiled widely when she saw that it was a picture of her.

She accepted the thumbtack that Jinx handed to her and stuck the picture back to the lid. They looked at each other and smiled. Jinx yawned widely.

Jean smiled at her and said, "I think it's time for you to go to bed."

Jinx nodded and walked over to the side of her bed. She pulled down the sheets and climbed onto the bed. Jean tucked the sheets around her. Jinx's eyes began drooping almost immediately.

Jean kissed her tenderly on the forehead. She turned off the lights and walked to the doorway. She stopped and watched Jinx sleep for a moment before whispering, "Sweet dreams, Jinxy."

She pulled the door shut behind her and walked down the hallway.


End file.
